The Matchboy and his Phoenix
by Fluttering Phalanges
Summary: But at the moment Haymitch was not my priority, Katniss was, and if she was gone, if I had let her die, then perhaps the Careers would be merciful when they found me and end my life quickly for without her, why do I have a reason to continue?
1. Preface

**Hello fellow fanfictioners! So, this will be my first Hunger Games fanfiction one of which I think my dear friends would hopefully approve of. This story is about if Gale had actually volunteered as the male tribute for District 12. Anyway, here's the first bit, I do hope you enjoy. Oh, just to clarify, this is Gale's POV unless mentioned otherwise.**

Preface:

It was the rusty tasting liquid that coated my taste buds that first caught me when I began to stir. It was, as I could tell without even looking, blood, my blood to be exact. Groaning, my tongue probed around the inside of my mouth causing a searing pain as if my nerves themselves were on fire when it hit my left molar, or what was left of it that is. I tried to get up, to move, to do something.

My ears rang as I finally found the strength to force my eyes open only to finally take in what was happening. I, from what it seemed, was laying on what was now bare ground surrounded by bits of smoking and in some cases, flaming, matter. The mines. That's what had happened, I closed my eyes as I strained to remember exactly what happened. There had been the Career's camp… Yes… That was right, and we, whoever I was with that is, I couldn't recall at the moment, had decided to obliterate their storage of supplies, to weaken them so that we would hopefully be able to achieve some sort of advantage over them.

My head ached as I tried to recall who exactly I had been with, the only thing that filled my head now was that god awful ringing sound and the pain, that horrid, throbbing pain as if someone, and maybe they had, had taken a mallet and bludgeoned my temples over and over again. I grunted softly attempting to push myself up into a seated position as I continued to focus on my thoughts, trying to retrieve the bits and pieces of information that I was beginning to think the mines had blown away.

Rose…No, that wasn't it. Did it even begin with an 'R'? It had to of have… It was a plant, I'm pretty sure of that much. Now, to remember, think back, hunting in the woods, the fields, what plants had R names… Ah, Rue! There you go, Gale, old boy, it was Rue… And there was another, I'm sure of it... Rue, the small girl from District 11 had gone to set up a few diversions in the woods leaving me and… Oh god, why can't I remember who I was with? Think, Gale, think… Rue and… It'll come eventually.

I blinked as warm blood oozed down my forehead and over my eyes causing me to temporally to lose my vision. The muscles in my hand twitch as I try to reach up and wipe my eyes. I know that it's not safe to just lay here on the ground, out in the open, a target just waiting to be taken by the Careers. I strain, craning my neck towards where I think the woods are wondering if Rue is alright and if Katniss- Oh god, Katniss!

As her name comes to my mind it also escapes my lips. I feel a sudden burst of adrenaline come from inside me as force myself up more, my head turning every which way, ignoring the agonizing pain as I search for her. How could I have forgotten her? She had been the reason I had volunteered as tribute in the first place, the reason that I had left my family back in District 12 to go fight and probably lose my life for her, and her name wasn't the first thing that had come to my mind?

I could feel Haymitch cursing me right now, a bottle in his fist, his brow furrowed as he growled, telling me to get up and run. Perhaps he thought now it was better if one of his pupils stayed alive rather than losing both even if it did end up costing several sponsors now that the star-crossed lovers were split up. But at the moment Haymitch was not my priority, Katniss was, and if she was gone, if I had let her die, then perhaps the Careers would be merciful when they found me and end my life quickly for without her, why do I have a reason to continue? There was no deception in what I said to Caesar during the interviews back at the Capitol, I had meant ever word. I wonder if Haymitch realized it early on and that was why he had chosen that storyline for us to follow.

It was at that moment my eyes fell upon a still figure lying at least twenty five feet away from me. My heart began to pound against the walls of my chest as I try to call out to her.

"Katniss!"

Barely any sound escapes my lips as I suck in another sharp breath trying again.

"Katniss!"

A little louder this time but it doesn't seem to do any good. I now lay on my stomach as I try to pull myself towards her, each inch I move causes my limbs to scream in agony. I barely make it three feet when I can go no further; my strength that I had acquired from my adrenaline rush is gone. I can only watch her from afar hoping, praying, by some miracle, by some chance, she'll sit up and smile at me, let me know she's alright.

I feel myself slipping in and out of unconsciousness as the sound of something going off fills my ears. Did I hear that right? Was there actually a noise? Another mine maybe? What if it was a cannon? Who had died? Was it for Katniss? My eyes begin to close as I try to focus on Katniss, to see if her body is lifted into the air. But I am so tired, maybe…maybe if I close my eyes everything will be alright. Maybe it's just a dream. Maybe if I just close my eyes…

**I hope you liked the preface. I'm working on chapter one at the moment and hopefully that will be up soon. Thank you for reading.-Jen**


	2. Kindle

**Thank you so much to those who reviewed and added this story to their favorites and alerts. I really appreciate it.**

Chapter one: Kindle

"Primrose Everdeen!"

The name split through the still air in one crisp motion. Prim. The sister of my dear friend, reaped. My eyes flickered to the crowd of people finally settling upon the Everdeens. There was Katniss, her arms holding Prim like a snare does a captured animal. I knew what was about to occur before Katniss's eyes met mine.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

It felt as if my stomach had dropped. For some, being in the Games was an honor but to me, I saw it more of being a Martyr to an event without a cause. My eyes focused on Katniss as Prim clung to her for dear life as inaudible words which I was sure were pleas escaping from her lips. I found myself taking a few strides forward, my mind a blank slate as my arms wrapped around Prim pulling her back.

"Up you go, Catnip."

I pulled the still struggling Prim back as my eyes followed Katniss as she stepped up to the stage taking her place beside Effie Trinket. Her face was void of emotion as she informed Effie of who she was.

Getting stung by a needle bug, this type of insect Katniss and I have encountered many times in our hunting journeys is an interesting experience. First, the area which has been inflicted goes numb, completely void of any pain. Then, after a few moments, it begins to burn as an angry welt begins to take form. That's how I felt at this time. I felt numb as I watched Katniss go up at take Prim's place as the female tribute and afterwards, when it had all sunken in, I was livid with her. For a moment, a single second, I wished she had gone and let Prim go. I hadn't much faith that Prim, this small girl with the pallor complexion who had finally stopped struggling in my arms and just leaned against me sobbing would have survived much longer even though Katniss had taken her place. Prim was weak enough as it was, the arena would have ended her life maybe a month or two earlier than it was going to here in District 12.

"Peeta Mellark!"

I must have completely zoned out when Effie announced that it was time to draw for a male tribute. A rather tall boy with cropped blond hair and blue eyes emerged from the crowd and began to make his way up the stage. I recognized him at once, the baker's son. On my journeys to the bakery, I would always catch a glimpse of him in front of the large brick ovens removing varies breads and pastries. I found it almost humorous really that a boy such as himself was being reaped. I tried to think of what possible skills he could possess that might be the slightest bit useful out in the arena. None came to mind. My eyes fell upon him once more as he approached the stage. Over the years I watched as tribute after tribute from our district was slaughtered in the arena. The ones who actually made it the longest would not have done so without an ally. Quite frankly, I did not see Peeta as the greatest choice for Katniss if she, like most tributes do, were to choose him as an ally since he was from her own district.

Katniss was a strong girl that much I knew. It was a question how useful her skills would be. Unlike the other tributes who were able to start jobs that involved their district's label such as lumber and fishing early on, we in District 12 were not allowed into the mines until the age of eighteen. That was a disadvantage on our part. Perhaps, if it had been given, skills that had been picked up from the mines would have given her a greater advantage in the arena. Unfortunately she, and all of the tributes from our district before her, had not had the chance.

Peeta was so close to Effie that I figured if he were to just stretch his hand out in such a way it would brush against the top of her podium. If I was going to do anything, I had to act quickly. My life flashed before my eyes. I saw my life in District 12, my mother, my siblings, Mrs. Everdeen, Prim…Katniss… My mouth opened but I myself could hear no sound but by the looks on everyone's faces including the mixture of horror and lividness on Katniss's I had uttered those fateful words.

"I volunteer as tribute!"

Who knew those four simple words could have such an impact?

**I promise the chapters will become lengthier and have more conversation. I'm basically trying to set the scene and mood at the moment. I'm working on the next update at the moment. Hopefully I will finish soon.**


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